Diaper, catamenial bandage, and the like



A r. w, 1923. 1,451,643

R. J. WOODY DIAPER, CATAMENIAL BANDAGE, AND THE LIKE Filed 001; 22 1921fix lPatent pr. ld, teat.

EEGMA nnn, earn i a Application filed (October :22, rear. Serial no;scenes.

I To all whom it may canoe-1%:

Be it known that l, REGINA J; Woonr, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chestnut Hill in the county of Middle- 5 sex and State ofed a new and useful Improvement in Diapers, Uatamenial Bandages, andthelike, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to diapers, catamenial bandages and the like,either 'ofthe sanitary type, so called, intended for a single use, or ofthe types capable of repeated use. The primary object of my invention isto provide an article .of this class which can be readily fitted to thebody of the wearer, whether stout or slender, and securely held inposition, without the use of pins. Another object of my invention is toprovide such an article which can be manufactured so, cheaply as topermit the discarding of the same after a single use. Further objects ofmy invention are to provide fastening means which are integral with thefabric of which it is made and to provide the arhole with a centrallyarranged. reinforcing strip which gives it a double thickness withoutcausin produce 'c a'fing and discomfort for the wearer.

With these objects in view my invention comprises. as its principalfeature a fabric sheet which in the case of a sanitary. diaper mayconsist of cotton or absorbent material enclosed in an envelope ofgauze, quilted thereto, said sheet being of hour-glass shape,

that is to say, being quadrangular and having its ends substantiallyparallel and its transverse dimension a minimum substantially at itscentral transverse axis, said sheet to having two slots locatedrespectively near the diagonally opposite corners thereof, each slotbeing arranged to receive the nearer corner of the sheet on the oppositeside of its transverse axis so that said sheet may be to folded up aboutthe body of the user, and

fastening devices which may be cords, se-

cured to or integral with the material of V which the article is made.-'lhe foregoing and other objects and advantages of my in- W ventionwill more fully appear from the following detailed description taken inconnection with .the accompanying drawings and the distinctive featuresof novelty will be Massachusetts, have invent it to bind or sag andthereby hereinafter pointed out in the appended claims: In the drawinwhich accompany and form apart of th1s specification,-

Figure l isa plan view of a sanitary, diaper, catamenial bandage or thelike embodying my invention;-

. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the same folded with the corners securedtogether as in use; v a

Fig. 3 is a side View showing the same applied to the body of thewearer; Fig. l is a top View of the article folded and having itscorners secured in the manner shown-in Fig. 2;

F ig.--5 is a plan view of a modification showing my invention embodiedin an article adapted for repeated use.

In the particular drawings. selected for more fully disclosing myinvention, 10 represents a sheet of fabric, herein shown as cotton orother absorbent material having an envelope of gauze quilted thereto,said sheet preferably being of hour-glass shape,

shown, and provided with two slots 11, 12

located respectively. nearthe diagonally-opposite corners thereof, and,preferably on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof. Attachedto each corner of thesheet is a fastening device of any suitable type,and inthe present instance said fastening devices are shown as the tyingmembers 13, 14, 5 15,16. When the "fabric sheet consists of cotton orother material enclosed within a gauze envelope, I prefer to make thetying members out of the threads of the gauze envelope by slitting theportion of the gauze so which extends beyond the cotton on thetransverse axis "17, and then pulling out and twisting together thethreads of the portions 18, 19 thereof so as to form the cords, 14, 16

at the adjacent corners of the gauze enes velope. It will be understoodhowever that, as in the modification shown in Fig. 5, cords or othertying members .may be attached to the corners of the fabric sheet 10.

In applying the article to the body, of the wearer the sheet is foldedon its transverse axis as shown in Fig. 2 and the corners thereof arepassed through the slots 11' and 12 which as shown are preferablyparallel and inclined to the longitudinal axis of the 1 5 sheet, and thetwo pairs of co-operating fascorner 21 is folded over the back of theupper portion of the sheet and the two cords 13, 14; tied together. Theupper corner 22 is then doubled over on the forward portion of the upperhalf of the sheet and passed through the slot 12 while the corner 23 isfolded over the front portion of thelower half of the sheet, and thecords 15, 16 tied together. v

It will be obvious that by means of my invention the diaper may besecurely fastened about the body of an infant Without the use of pins orattaching bands or other supporting members now commonly in use, andthat it is self-adjusting, and therefore incapable of sagging andchafing irrespective of the size of the wearer.

If desired a centrally disposed reinforcing strip 24 may be attached byquilting or otherwise to the fabric sheet 10.

As indicated in Fig.5 my invention may be applied to articles of thisclass which are inten ed for repeated use byucutting a sheet 10' ofsuitable fabric along the the transverse axis 25 in the manner indicatedin dotted lines and folding the portions 26, 27,

28,- 29 over on the sheet as indicated at 26,

27 28', 29., respectively, and then stitching the triangularportions-near the edges thereof tothe sheet. 7

In this manner the sheet is given substantially an hour-glass shapewhich will permit the same tobe applied to the body ofthe user in thesame manner as above set forth in connection with Fig. 1, two slots 11,12 being cut into said sheet and the indicate the scope of my invention.

I claim i 1. An article of the class described comprising a quadrangularsheet of absorbent material having an envelope of gauze, said sheet andenvelope each having its ends substantially parallel and its transversedimension a minimum substantially at its central transverse axis, andeach having two sheet and nvelope each having its ends substantiallyparallel and its transverse dimension a minimum substantially at itscentral transverse axis, and each having two slots located respectivelynear the diagonally opposite corners thereof, each slot being arrangedto receive the nearer corner of the sheet on the opposite side oi'thetransverse axis thereof, and tying members integral with each corner ofsaid sheet, said tying members consisting of the threads of saidenvelope ofgauze pulled out and twisted toget-her to form cords.

3. An article of the class described comprising a fabric provided withtwo slots located respectively near the diagonally opposite cornersthereof, each slot being inclined to its. longitudinal axis and arrangedto receive the nearer corner of the sheet on the opposite side of thetransverse axis thereof, and fastening devices secured to the cornersofsaid sheet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th dayof October, 1921'. Y r

I REGINA 'J. WOODY.

